Steady foundation for floating structures.



No. 825,149. U PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.-

W. RMURRAY.

STEADY FOUNDATION- FOR FLOATING STRUCTURES.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.15,'1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ud. 825,149, TATBNTUU JULY s. 1906.

W. E. MURRAY. STEADY FOUNDATION TUR TLUATING STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED APB..15,1905,

.TTT Q l lll l ATTORNEY PATENTBD JULY 3, 1906.

W. E. MURRAY.

STRADY FOUNDATION TUR TLORTTNG STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1905..

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

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" PATENTED vJULY 3,.. 1906.

W. R.' MURRAY. STUART FOUNDATION TUR RLUATING STRUCTURES.

APPLOATION FILED APR.15,.'1905. Y

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

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No'. 825,149. PATBNTED JULY 3, '1906. i

- W. E. MURRAY.

STEADY FOUNDATION FOR PLOATNG STRUCTURES.

' APPLIoATIoN FILED M1145. 1905.

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BUS/5TM A? TTaFFA/Ef I "gig "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEADY FOUNDATION FOR FLOATING STRUCTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July" 3, 1906.

Application filed April 15, 1905. Serial No. 256,773.

' T0 all whom if may concern.:

Be. it known Vthat I, WILLIAM EDWARD MURRAY, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, of Edinburgh, North Britain, commonly called Scotland, at present residing in the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, in the State of California, have invented Steady Foundations for Floating Structures.

My improved foundations are adapted for carrying the above-water parts of floating breakwaters, floating yfortresses, floating wharves, floating light houses, and analogous structures, such as harbors, moles, jetties, or piers, floating coaling-stations, and floating docks or docky ards `in mid-ocean, steadiness of all of which structures while floating is by mynew or improved foundations maintained.

The following is a full, clear, and exact description or specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings and to the letters marked thereon.

My said invention has for its obj ect to provide a steady floating foundation having displacement capability greater than that due to the weight of the structure itself. This object is brought about by the structure having volume of immersion not only considerably greater than the volume of its immersed portion, but also by loading or weighting part of the volume of immersion, so that the load or weight carried while being always equilibrated-that is to say, balanced-is so disposed around the axes of and at the bottom of the structure, also at such sufficient distance laterally or horizontally on both Sides i of the horizontal axis, and, when the foundation is circular, at all points e uidistantly from the center of the floating oundation,

. that the structure when immersed to the required depth below the surface is practically incapable of disturbance or of being rocked in or by the waves of the ocean or other body of water in which it is floated. This increased steadiness of flotation is brought water.

same on theV line a a, Figs. 1 and 2.

l times nearly of twice the density, I load several of the receptacles which are provided in the lower part of the structure and arranged at sufficient distance on either side from the central horizontal axis of the foundation when elongated in form, and arranged in a circle around the vertical axis when the f oundation is circular in form, to insure this load of gravel, by reason of its superior density Vabove that of water and being arranged at considerable distance from the axes referred to, producing a maximum steadying effect.

In what I have thus far set forth I have stated several of the applications of my invention and the fundamental principles upon above-Water parts of floating breakwaters,`

floating wharves, floating moles, or jetties, while a circular form of foundation is best adapted for carrying a stationary or revolving fortress or a lighthouse.

I now proceed to illustrate by describing the annexed drawings some of the forms of f the steady floating foundations which are best adapted to carry out the main objects of my invention.

Upon the drawings, Figure 1 is a front ele-- vation of a single length or section of my steady floating foundation when used for lcarrying the upper part of a floating break- Its foundation consists of a heavyv floating body constructed and loaded with weight, as herein described. The breakwater part carried upon my steady floating foundation rises, as is usual with all breakwaters, to a sufficient height above the waves for the waves to strike against and be broken up 'on the starboard side by impact therewith as the waves roll and strike against the starboard side of the above-water part of a breakwater in the well-known manner either in the ocean or other body of water. The upper breakwater portion carried upon my new or improved steady floating foundation does not constitutel any part of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the Fig. 4 is IOO TIO

a front elevation; Fg- 5, 9 Pfilt Plan? Fig 6, i

a transverse section on the line b b. Figs. 5 and 6 of the foundation are identical with that shown at Figs. l, 2, and 3, but shown as carrying a superstructure of somewhat slightly different construction to that shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 7 is another front elevation of the same submerged foundation as that shown in the preceding Figs. 1 to 6. Fig. S is a part plan and Fig. 9, a transverse section on the line c c, Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section corresponding to Fig. 9 and showing more of the details of construction. Fig. 11 is a side elevation, with certain parts in section, of the same or identical structure in respect of the steady floating foundations and the above-water parts of a breakwater as is that shown at Figs. 1 to 10, but in which an additional feature, not, however, as part of this invention, is shown, which is capable of being used when a breakwater or analogous structure is to be placed in deeper waterthat is, farther from a shore-than is contemplated by or in accordance with the drawings Figs. 1 to 10. Fig. 12 is an elevation, and Fig. 13 a plan, of my steady floating foundation formed circular for carrying a circular floating fortress.

In a former application for Letters Patent, filed on the 2d day of August, 1904, Serial No. 219,246, the steadiness of the floating structures therein shown and described is in part brought about by heavy movable weights suspended over sheaves by chains whose outer ends are fastened by anchors to the bed of the ocean, while the weights, as well as the structures, both rise and fall with the tide by reason of the freedom to so move being rendered practicable because of the suspension of the weights by suspensionchains carried over the sheaves.

Under my present invention I dispense with this arrangement of weights suspended from chains and passed over sheaves to anchors and dispose all the weight which produces steadiness of flotation by filling or in part filling the compartments in the steady floating foundations with material preferably of heavier relative density than water.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the foundation of the hollow rectangular projecting flanged bottom A, which is continuous through the length of each section or division of a floating breakwaters length, or if the floating breakwater is in one length then the bottom A is continuousthat is to say, in one part--throughout the entire length thereof. This steady floating foundation, rectangular in vertical, transverse, and horizontal section, as shown by the drawings, is stayed and braced and stiffened internally by girders, tension-rods, angle and T or channelV irons and gussets, such as are commonly used for bracing and stiflenmg other large structures of iron and steel, the whole of which isions of sheet allowed under the Rules of parts are riveted and bolted and tied together, according to the general practice of engineers and naval architects, to produce the stiffest structures with a sufficient factor of safety consistent with the stresses which such structures have to withstand, according to their various purposes of utility. Such stiffening or bracing cannot be completely shown in drawings restricted to the dimen- Practice of the Patent Office but such. stiffening or bracing is shown to some extent in the drawings to indicate its nature sufficiently to guide and instruct persons skilled in the art of construction in iron and steel. The stiffening or bracing of the foundations constitutes no part of my invention, which is capable of being carried out with the many methods of stiffening and bracing so well known to and commonly practiced by engineers and naval architects and generally in use that it need not be herein further referred to.

U on the aforesaid foundation A there is carried the breakwater, consisting of a series of cylinders B B B B &c., connected with the foundation A so as to be securely fastened thereto and situated vertically thereon. These cylinders are united by stiff rectangular divisions C of steel plates filling the space between each pair of cylinders B B B B, &c., being securely riveted to the top plates of the foundation A and to the exteriors of the cylinders B B B, tc., and interior-ly stayed by T-iron rings D, as shown in section at Fig. 3,

.and by such other bracing as may be placed throughout the cylinders B and the rectangular divisions C, the whole of which are riveted together and to the bracing.

The breakwater or its analogue is moored to the floor or bottom D of theocean or other body of water by anchors E, which are connected by protected steel-wire hawsers F to the Winches, one of which is indicated at the part in section in Figs. 1 and 2, (marked G.) The winding-barrels G of the winches are operated to at all times permit the hawsers F being loosely suspended in the manner shown at Fig. 1, and it is explained that the anchors E are not for the purpose of holding the breakwater or its steady floating found al tion taut or in a definitely-fixed situation, but are for the purpose of sufficiently controlling any range of motion horizontally which the foundation may be subject to the influence of, such as undercurrents or undertow in any direction, while there is suflicient slack in the hawsers F to admit of the foundation and any structure erected thereon rising and falling with the rise and fall of the tide. In cases where there is excessive undertow, currents, tidal or wave disturbance the ends of the foundations may be still further stayed b'y a group of hawsers H H H H with corresponding anchors, being let fall IOO IIO

IIS

over .the ends ofthe foundation, vasfshewn .at-r

Figs: 1 and To vstiffen "the structure transversely, the triangularstiffeningebraces I I, .iFigs.1,i2,1and 3, maybe placed on ,both sides of thecylinders B, and theseare strengthened to resist come pression lby bars of angle, 4T ,f or channel ironr tionfA,.which is the only part-of thefentire` structure necessarily subject totheloperation 1, of .-launching, will float.- with its top vthree =orf more feetabove the surfaceof the water into which .ithas been launched.: It is-to =be-unv derstood 'that' the fbre'akwater or superstructure carried upon my steadyfounfdationAw may be built `upon: the foundation Afbefore or afterl launching" the' said foundation; IfY built-after the.l

then the upper part of the structure, con-3i sisting of the cylinders B and the rectangular portions C, together with the transverse bracing and internal staying ofthe cylindersB and rectangular portions C, is proceeded with until the structure carried upon'my new or improved foundation is completed. When the breakwater, consisting of the cylinders B, rectan rular parts C, and bracing I, has attained su' cient height above the foundation A, then water is admitted into the foundation by openin the water-admission valves, one

f of which marked K) is indicated in Fig. 3,

together with the screw-rod K and handwheel K for operating the same by turning the hand-wheel K in either a right or left hand direction, and thereby opening or closing the valves K, as required. When it is desired to admit water into the cylinders B and rectangular portions D, another valve L and operative parts L and L, like the parts K and K, are operated to open and close the valve L and admit water to any extent required into the lower part of the cylinders and rectangular portions B and C, respectively, until the foundation when completed is in this manner sunk to its proper depth at the location where it is moored for carrying a floating breakwater.

At the top of each cylinder B `a manhole M is provided for enabling access to be had to the interior of the cylinders for examination, painting, and repairs. v

Asis shown by the transverse section, Fig. 3, the waves N of the water in which the foundation iioats sti ike against the starboard face of the steady floating superstructure, and there is smooth water O on the port side.

Instead of using cylinders B and rectangular intermediate portions C, as in Figs. 1 to 3, for being carried upon the steady floating foundations constituting my invention I aunching of the foundation,

may usefhollowconical frusta IB. and trianegular intermediate connectingpiecesV C between the'conic frusta B as shown atFigs. 4, 5, and 6. Conic frusta, such as those marked.' B," and trian 'ularl intermediate pieces C, such as those s own at Figs. 4,5, and 6, are indeed preferable to the cylinders B inFigs. 1., 2,' and 3, for they constitute inclined as distinct from vertical. surfaces for the waves to strike against and off er less resistance to heavy wave-blows on the starboardfside'. Tubes, such-as the tules marked I), maybe placed-horizontally in Ithe itriangular. partitions C", .as shown in, Figs. 3 and 6,-also through the rectangular par tifions (lin Figs.

1 and 2.

Figs. 7,` 8,` 9, and k10 while showing the steady loatingsfoundationl illustrate it as carrying .aabreakwater or superstructure consisting of horizontal tubes Q, R, and S, theses tubes being attached to each other and'to the flat bottom part A of the steady floating foundationby ties T .T T T and by knees V, V V and V, as-more clearly shown the enlargedv transverse sectional view, Fig.` r10.-

While some forms of the foundation constituting -my'invention have hereinbeforef been fully describedand illustrated, it has not as yet been explained that irrespective of the steady flotation obtained by immersion to a considerable depth of the foundation upon which the breakwater is carried the increased density of the wa'ter as the immersion of the foundation becomes deeper conduces much additional steadiness to the structure apart from that due to the immersed weight alone. This fact of increasing density of water due to below-the-surface depth may be further advantageously resorted to in connection with my invention when iioating foundations corresponding therewith are to be placed in deep water. This is effected by applying long open-bottomed vertical tubes V to some or all of the cylinders B shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 3 or to conic frusta B, Figs. 4 to 6. These tubes V are shown broken through in Fig. 11 in order to indicate that they may be of any desired depth and that they may descend into depths of water of great density far below the depth of immersion of the foundation A in Figs. 1 to 11. In applying these tubes V the foundation, with its superstructure, is first towed and moored to its locality, and the tubes V are then lowered through the'conic frusta B or cylinders B and are then bolted and stiffly secured to the parts B or B by bolts Vll passed through the flanges V. These steadying-tubes do not constitute any part of my present invention as hereinafter expressed in the claims.

In the circular foundation shown in elevation at Fig. 12 and in plan at Fig. 13 as carrying a steady iioating circular fortress of lIO the kind described in my application for Letters Patent Serial No. 219,246, the general construction is the same as that already described, and in the construction of the bottom projecting member of the structure it is provided with receptacles Y, as in Figs. 1 to 10, for being loaded with gravel or other substance of greater vdensity than the density of water, and for the purposes vwhich have been hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10 it also depends for its steadiness and is maintained steadily floating by the weight carried in the receptacles of the structure and moored to anchors with slack cables, as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 15.

Having now described the nature of my said invention and the best system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used or carried into practical effect, I desire to observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the invention to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The steady floating foundation, consisting of a hollow braced and stiffened Water-tight structure, upon which different kinds of superstructures are carried; the said foundation having a flange projecting beyond the width and length of the superstruc-l ture, carried thereon, said flange having receptacles for being loaded with water, and with another substance such as gravel, of greater density than water, in order to sink the foundation to the requisite depth for insuring steady flotation, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. The steady floating foundation consisting of the combination of a hollow watertight structure or foundation a superstructure upon the same, a flange projecting outward from and constituting part of the said foundation, and surrounding the same, and projecting beyond said superstructure, said flange provided with receptacles or pockets adapted to be filled with water and with heavier substances in order to sink the foundation to the required depth, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I, the said WILLIAM EDWARD MURRAY, have hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th day of February, 1905.

WILLIAM EDWARD MURRAY, [L a] Witnesses:

ST. JOHN DAY, J D. Com'. 

